Berlin – 02 June 2024

This morning I went to Freddy Leck - sein Waschsalon (laundromat) to do my laundry before leaving to Budapest tomorrow. The laundromat is unique; there is a lot of artwork, and many pictures of the late Queen Elizabeth II. It was fun to hang out there while the washer and dryer finished (though I did leave to get a chocolate croissant down the street). Some pictures from the nearby area:

Garbage? Not here, please! (sign in a panter)

This really brings home a point about accessibility. The text reads: ramp for transporting garbage bins, but also for use by adults with children and people in wheelchairs.

After returning to the hotel, I decided to do something I had never done before: rent a bicycle (using nextbike). Didn’t get a picture of the entire bike, but here’s the most important part; the chain is covered so your pants legs don’t get caught in the chain!

We help with wheellessness!

I then headed over to Alexanderplatz, stopping at the Hackescher Markt for lunch. Some pictures on the way and at the Markt:

A specially reserved bicycle street.

This was in front of a gelato store.

The German word for garlic is “Knoblauch”.

Alexanderplatz

Pictures from the area:

This is a mini-trampoline for kids to bounce on.

Near Alexanderplatz was a construction site; the city had commissioned artwork for the construction barriers:

This one was my favorite.

A fountain, and some of the tilework at its base:

Back to Hotel

There was a church along the way back...

... and this bridge, built 1866-91, destroyed 1945, repaired 1947, renewed 1983-86.

Typography

Very clever cutting off the letter; the title of this local newspaper is “Turmstraße Corner”

This is interesting; I don’t remember ever having seen the t-z ligature before.

But another street sign on the same corner loses the t-z ligature and keeps the s-z ligature (usually written as ß)

Election

Surprise! Only two posters today!

Reason instead of ideology

Real socialism instead of global environmental catastrophe.

Signage

You’re not likely to see ads like this in the US.

You’d think after the Hindenburg they’d be out of business. (What? Too soon?)

Clever take-off on “La Dolce Vita”

Miscellanea

Tonka raspberry and dark chocolate ice cream for dessert!

Near the hotel, a bicycle that had seen better days.